Rancho Bernardo Broncos

Rancho Bernardo had a number of young players on the roster last
season, many of whom gained invaluable experience. That should help
Rancho Bernardo in close games. The Broncos lost three games by six
points or fewer last year. Brad Elrod takes over for longtime coach
Ron Hamamoto, but the transition should be seamless given Elrod's
history with the school as an assitant coach. If QB Gerald Kemp
stays healthy, Rancho Bernardo should make the playoffs.

MARQUEE PLAYERS:
Senior QB Gerald Kemp is, first
and foremost, an athlete. He has tremendous speed, agility and
improved accuracy. Rancho Bernardo's offense runs through Kemp, who
can do just about anything. "We're not afraid to let him run,"
Elrod said. "We're going to get him involved in any way we can."
Kemp will help run the option as well as Rancho Bernardo's
traditional wing-T offense. Kemp isn't much of a rah-rah guy, but
he leads by example and can make adjustments on the fly. If Kemp
stays healthy, Rancho Bernardo should have a productive offense. If
he goes down, the Broncos will have trouble moving the
football.

SUPPORTING CAST:
Kemp will have help moving the
chains. RB Gonzalo Sanchez will be the featured back, and Dan Lemus
will also shoulder some of the offensive load. Those two will
alternate as the Broncos switch primarily to a single-back
formation this season. Kemp and the two rushers should provide a
balanced attack.

HITS:
The Broncos have some heavy hitters on
defense, including OLB Nathan Dunn, DLs Thomas Epenesa and Mike
Corona and S Tyler Strange. Most are young, but they got some
experience last year during a rebuilding season. That should pay
major dividends and keep Rancho Bernardo in most games.

MISSES:
Rancho Bernardo has a reputation for
having tremendous size on the offensive and defensive lines. That's
not the case this year. Elrod will have to come up with some
innovative blocking schemes to keep the offense moving.

ill Yeatman's favorite athletic memory at Rancho Bernardo High
is an odd one. He could have picked a number of postseason
conquests, league titles or the statistical records currently in
his name.

Yeatman mentioned a few of those, but his top choice was a game
where his beloved Broncos were routed 34-3 by Carlsbad.

It was Yeatman's sophomore year, and he was playing left tackle
due to a shoulder ailment that prevented him from playing tight end
- the position which allowed him to become the finest football
player in Rancho Bernardo history and earn a scholarship to the
University of Notre Dame.

That night, Yeatman was matched against a quick, fast and
experienced defensive end who had given opponents fits all season.
But Yeatman held his ground, held off the attack and earned respect
despite the Broncos' lopsided loss.

"I wish I could remember the guy's name, but I'll never forget
what he said to me," Yeatman said. "He walked over after the game
and said, 'Nice job tonight. Good luck next year in college.' "

Funny thing - Yeatman was still an underclassman at the time.
The mistake should be forgiven considering Yeatman looked and
played like a college kid for as long as anyone can remember.

"I don't think he did it intentionally, but that guy gave me one
of the biggest compliments I've ever received," said Yeatman, now a
sophomore with the Fighting Irish. "That moment has always stuck
with me."

Yeatman played beyond his years as a junior and a senior,
collecting 57 catches for 851 yards and 11 touchdowns over his
final two seasons. Yeatman is surprisingly agile for his 6-foot-6,
264-pound frame, providing more than just a blocking presence at
the college level.

He has made a swift ascent up the Notre Dame depth chart and
even received playing time with the Fighting Irish last year as a
true freshman.

"The experience of playing at Notre Dame is unreal," Yeatman
said. "The fans are passionate, as are your enemies. There's a real
love-hate relationship with this team, which makes every game
interesting, especially when we're on the road. Playing here is a
unique experience, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."